Serra Club offers rosary on tapes, videos, CDs

By KATIE LEFEBVRE, Globe staff reporter
January 15, 2004

The Serra Club of Siouxland will soon offer a revised version of the holy rosary with meditations from Bishop Daniel N. DiNardo on audiocassettes, videos and double CDs.

Originally, the club came up with the rosary tape idea based on a project by a neighboring diocese.

"We had an example in the Sioux Falls Diocese," said Mary Stevens, vice president of vocations for the Serra Club. "There was an article in the newspaper that said basically that the number of seminarians in the Sioux Falls Diocese was up to 37. Bishop Carlson contributed the large numbers to sending a rosary tape to all the shut-ins of their diocese. He gave that credit for the increase in the number seminarians. When we went to Bishop DiNardo with the idea, he was happy to do it for us."

The first time around free tapes were given to the nursing homes and shut-ins of the parishes in Sioux City. The rosary was promoted through the Council of Catholic Women through the rest of the diocese.

"They are an excellent tool for families," said Stevens. "The rosary is available on CDs, videos and audios. Cars have CDs or audiotapes, one or the other now, so it is a great opportunity for people on their way to work or families when they are traveling to say the rosary. It is hard to find time together as a family, but sometimes in the car, you get to it. People find themselves in the car so often."

The last time the tapes were offered, the joyful, sorrowful and glorious mysteries were included. Since that time, the pope has introduced the luminous mysteries. Serra Club wanted to update their prayer tools as well to have the new mysteries available.

Stevens explained that it is important to update. The Serra Club wanted to make the tapes and CDs attractive to everyone and the luminous mysteries are something new. In his meditations, the bishop also offers some new things to meditate on, which was the pope's intent when he provided the luminous mysteries.

"Now more than ever, we need the power of prayer because the power of evil is so evident in our world and our country," said Stevens. "There is just no greater power than God and when we say the rosary we call upon that power through his mother who has been an effective intercessor for us. History shows the power of the rosary. We celebrate the Feast of the Holy Rosary on Oct. 7 because of a miracle that took place."

Bishop DiNardo was ordained as bishop in Sioux City on the Feast of the Holy Rosary, Oct. 7, 1997.

"The main intent is to pray the rosary for an increase in vocations, the priesthood and religious life, but God hears our every prayer so it's a prayer for everyone for every need," said Stevens. "We feel they should be in the home of everyone because if it wasn't an important prayer, the pope would not have given us more mysteries to meditate on. He is a very intelligent man who has worked miracles amongst the world, amongst the people. If it works for him, there must be something to this prayer form. Everyone needs to be familiar with it at a time when we do need the super natural power. We are just meditating on the life of Christ which is biblical and scriptural."

Stevens added that at nearly every Mary apparition, Our Lady has asked the people to pray the rosary.

Audiocassettes cost $4, videos cost $7 and the double CDs are $10, all including shipping and handling. To order copies contact Serra Club of Siouxland, Rosary Project, PO Box 4596, Sioux City, IA 51104.